Head of Sony's North American PlayStation business to step down

President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Jack Tretton, is photographed during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), in Los Angeles June 5, 2012.Phil McCarten

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sony Corp said on Thursday that the chief executive and president of its North American videogame operations, Jack Tretton, who has played a crucial role in increasing its PlayStation business, will step down at the end of March.

The company gave no specific reason for the move but said the decision was mutual.

Sony said in a statement that Tretton, who has led its North American videogames division, Sony Computer Entertainment America, since 2006, resigned following a mutual agreement between them to "not renew their contractual relationship."

"As one of the founding members of the executive team, Tretton played a pivotal role in launching all PlayStation platforms in North America," Sony said in its statement.

The division's executive vice president and chief operating officer, Shawn Layden, will succeed Tretton starting on April 1, Sony said.

Tretton has worked with Sony Computer Entertainment America since its inception in 1995. Known for his appearances at Sony's glitzy launch events and game industry conferences, he was perceived as the face of Sony's PlayStation business in America.

Under his leadership, Sony's latest videogame console that launched in November, the PlayStation 4, was the top-selling console in the United States in January, according to market research form NPD. Sony said on Tuesday that it has sold more than 6 million PlayStation 4 units worldwide as of March 2.